Tool



1967 I L. P. MORSE 3,305,921

TOOL

Filed June 23, 1965 INVENTOR. LOYAL F! A4025:

A rro/e/w y.

United States Patent 3,305,921 TOOL Loyal P. Morse, 315 Eagle St., Medina, N.Y. 14103 Filed June 23, 1965, Ser. No. 466,302 8 Claims. (Cl. 29-229) The present invention relates to a hand tool or removing a'nd replacing a collar on a snap ring mounted within a groove on a shaft and for removing and replacing the snap ring relative to the groove in the shaft.

In automobile starter assemblies the armature shaft includes a locking collar mounted on one end thereof for preventing inadvertent removal of the starter structure located between the armature and said collar on the shaft. The locking collar itself is mounted in spring-locked relaitonship on a snap ring mounted within a groove on the shaft, said snap ring preventing the locking collar from moving off of the end of the shaft. However, in order to replace the mechanism located between the armature and the locking collar the locking collar must be removed from the end of the shaft. In the past this has been an extremely time consuming and difificult disassembly and assembly operation. First the locking collar had to be forced away from the end of the shaft to thereby release it from spring-locked engagement with the snap ring. Secondly, the snap ring had to be removed from the groove in the shaft and since the snap ring was relatively small and strong it was difficult to grasp it and effect its removal. After the snap ring was removed the collar could he slid off the end of the shaft so that the other structure beyond the collar could also he slid off the end of the shaft. After parts were replaced the collar was slid onto the end of the shaft and the snap'ring was forced over the end of the shaft until it seated in the groove. Thereafter the locking collar had to be forced into spring-locked engagement on the snap ring mounted in the groove. All of the foregoing manipulations were difficult and time consuming.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a simple hand tool which can effect all of the foregoing manipulations in a rapid, simple and expedient manner with the requirement for relatively little effort to thereby greatly reduce the time required to effect the assembly and dis-assembly of a collar mounted on a snap ring in a groove on a shaft. Other objects and attendant advantages of the present invention will readily be perceived hereafter.

The improved combined hand tool of the present invention includes means for removing the locking collar from spring-locked engagement on its associated snap ring mounted within a groove on the shaft, means for pulling the snap ring from its groove and removing it from the end of the shaft, means for engaging a snap ring and forcing it onto the end of the shaft until it seats in the groove, and means for drawing the collar onto the snap ring in spring-locked relationship while the snap ring is located in the groove. The present invention will be more fully understood when the following portions of the specification are read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary view of the end of a shaft having a snap ring mounted in a groove and a locking collar associated with said snap ring but removed therefrom;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the combined tool of the present invention with its various parts in assembled relationship;

FIGURE 3 is a view taken substantially along line 33 of FIGURE 2 and showing only the body portion of the combined tool;

FIGURE 4 is an end view of the body portion taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIGURE 3 and showing Patented Feb. 28, 196'? the portion thereof which is used to remove the collar from spring-locked relationship on the snap ring;

FIGURE 5 is a view taken substantially along line 5-5 and showing the portion of the body member which is used to engage the snap ring for removing it from its groove;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of the snap ring engaging member;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view of an adjusting screw which is utilized to convert the tool for use in removing the snap ring from its associated groove;

FIGURE 8 is a detail view of the configuration of the locking collar which is mounted on the snap ring; and

FIGURE 9 is a view of the snap ring.

In FIGURE 1 a shaft 10 is shown having a groove 11 in which snap ring 12 is located. A collar :13, which is shown removed from snap ring 12 in FIGURE 1 normally occupies a spring-locked relationship relative to snap ring 12 to prevent structure (not shown) to the right of collar 13 from moving off of end 14 of the shaft. The snap ring 12 (FIG. 9) is a circular resilient metal member which is open at 15 to permit it to expand 'when it is forced onto the end of the shaft until such time as it seats in groove 11. Collar 13 (FIG. 8) is an annular member having an internally chamfered portion 16 and a groove 17 which receives snap ring 12 in springlocked relationship. I11 the foregoing respect it will be appreciated the normal outside diameter of snap ring 12 is greater than the inside diameter of groove 17 so that when collar 13 is forced over snap ring 12 the latter will be compressed and will exert an outward resilient force tending to prevent separation of collar 13 from snap ring 12.

In order to remove collar 13 from the end 14 of shaft 10 the improved tool 18 is utilized. Tool 18 includes a body member 19 which is, in this instance, made of hexagonal bar stock and includes a tapped portion at one end which receives threaded portion 21 of snap ring engaging member 22 (FIG. 6), the latter being placed into body member 19 by inserting chamfered snap ring engaging end portion 23 into opening 24 and pushing it to the right in FIGURE 2 until such time that threads 21 engage tapped portion 20. Thereafter knurled head 24 is manually turned to effect the threaded relationship. Body member 19, at its opposite end, includes a cut-away portion 25 which permits the body member to be moved radially relative to shaft 10 for mounting it thereon. A pair of tines 26 are located at the end of body member 19 and in essence define a U-shaped opening 27. U-shaped opening 27 is of a size slightly larger than the diameter of shaft 10 to permit the above noted radial movement to be effected during the mounting of body member 19 on shaft 10.

In order to move collar 13 from its spring-locked position on snap ring 12, U-shaped opening 27 is moved radially over the end of shaft 10 to the left of collar 13 and thereafter moved axially to the right in FIGURE 1 whereupon shaft 10 will enter bore 28 (FIG. 6) within snap ring engaging member 22 and said bore 28 will guide the entire assembly to the right on the end of shaft 10 until such time as face 29 of body member 19 engages face 30 (FIG. 8) of collar 13. The left side of the tool in the area of knurled head 24 may then be rapped with the palm of the hand or a mallet to spring collar 13 off of snap ring 12 and the .collar 13 will then assume the position shown in FIGURE 1.

The next step is to remove snap ring 12 from groove 11 and move it to the left on shaft 10 until it leaves end To effect the foregoing, tines 26 are moved to a position to the right of snap ring 12 causing U-shaped opening 27 to move radially onto shaft 10 until body 3 member 19 and shaft 19 are coaxial. threaded portion 32 of adjusting screw 31 (FIG. 7) is i threaded into tapped portion 33 of member 22 as far as it will go by the turning of knurled head 34. Actually knurled head 34 will practically engage knurled head 24. Thereafter, knurled head 24 is rotated to cause snap ring engaging member to move to the right on shaft 10. A

Thereafter,

point will be reached where the rounded end 36 will abut 3 the end 14 of shaft 10, and continued threading of snap 1 ring engaging member 22 into body member 19 will 4 result in tines 26 moving to the left on shaft 10 until I such time as recess 35 (FIG. proximate tines 26 and forming a part thereof, engages snap ring 12. Recess 35 is larger than snap ring 12. Continued threading of snap ring engaging member 22 into body member 19 will spring snap ring 12 from groove 11 and thereafter body member 19 may be grasped with the hand and pulled to the left to remove snap ring 12 from the end 14 of shaft 19.

After snap ring 11 has been removed, collar 13 may be moved to the left on shaft and may also be removed whereupon the other structure which collar 10 prevents from moving off of shaft 10 may also be slid 01f of the end 14 for replacement, and after such structure is replaced collar 13 is again manually placed onto shaft 10 and moved to the right until it occupies the position shown in FIGURE 1.

In order to insert snap ring 12 into groove 11, snap ring engaging member 22 is removed from body member 19 and the snap ring 12 is placed in coaxial relationship with member 22 and abutting the end 23 thereof. Thereafter, member 22 is aligned with shaft 10 and by pushing member 22 to the right in FIGURE 1 snap ring 12 is forced over the end 14 of shaft 10. After it is initially sprung'onto the extreme left end of shaft 10 at 14, bore 28 (FIG. 6) of member 22 will slide onto the end of shaft 10, and thereafter continued movement of member 22 to the right will force snap ring 12 along until such time that it springs into groove 11.

In order to complete the assembly collar 13 must now be spring locked onto snap ring 12. In order to effect this, tines 26 are moved radially relative to shaft 10 so that they lie to the right of collar 13 in FIGURE 1. This can be done when member 22 is moved sufficiently to the left relative to body member 19 to permit the foregoing radial mounting of body member 19 onto shaft 10. Thereafter member 22 is threaded into body member 19 and, as previously, bore 28 will move onto the end 14 of shaft 10 into coaxial relationship therewith, and the threaded connection between members 19 and 22 will also cause member 19 to remain coaxial with shaft 10. The threading of member 22 into member 19 will continue and chamfered end 23 of snap ring engaging member 22 will approach recess associated with the end of body member 19 (FIG. 5). Recess or seat 35, as can be seen from FIGURE 5, defines a portion of a circle and is slightly larger than the outer diameter of collar 13. A point will be reached when surface 36 of ring 13 will be firmly engaged by recessor seat 35 and a portion of snap ring 12 facing the end 14 will be engaged by end 23 of member 22. Continued threading of member 22 into body member 19 will result in moving collar 13 onto snap ring 12 so that collar 13 receives ring 12 in groove 17, as shown in FIGURE 8.

In order to remove the tool after the foregoing assembly has been effected, snap ring engaging member 22 is threaded out of body member 19 until such time as body member 19 can be removed from the end of the shaft by moving radially relative thereto.

It can thus be seen that the hand tool of the present invention is manifestly capable of removing and replacing a collar on a snap ring mounted within a groove on a shaft and removing and replacing the snap ring relative to the groove on the shaft in an extremely simple, expedient and rapid manner.

While a preferred embodiment of the present invention 4 has been disclosed it will be appreciated that it is not limited thereto but may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims:

What is claimed is:

1. A tool for pressing a collar onto a snap ring mounted in a groove on a shaft comprising a body member having a tubular tapped portion and a cut-away portion adjacent thereto, a pair of tines extending from said body portion remote from said tubular portion to define a U-shaped opening extending substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of said body member with said U-shaped opening being in substantial alignment with said tubular tapped portion, said tines being spaced a slightly greater distance apart than the diameter of said shaft, said cutaway portion permitting said tines to be advanced radially onto a shaft for engaging the portion of a collar facing away from a snap ring and the bottom of said U-shaped opening engaging the shaft to effect alignment of said body member on said shaft, a snap ring engaging member including a hollow tubular end portion adapted to advance axially on said shaft, threads on said snap ring engaging portion for mating engagement with said tapped portion of said body member, and means on said snap ring engaging member for effecting the turning thereof to thereby cause said snap ring engaging member to engage the side of said snap ring remote from said collar while said tines engage the portion of said collar remote from said snap ring to thereby pull said collar into spring-locked engagement on said snap ring.

2. A tool as set forth in claim 1 wherein said hollow tubular end portion includes a chamfered end and where= in said tines define a seat facing said hollow tubular mem ber with said chamfered end being coaxial with said seat whereby said seat engages and holds said collarin align= ment with said snap ring as said chamfered end engages said snap ring to thereby positively effect said spring locked engagement of said collar on said snap ring.

3. A tool as set forth in claim 2 including a tapped por-- tion of said snap ring engaging member, said adjusting} screw having a threaded portion receivable in said tapped portion of said snap ring engaging member, said adjusting screw having an end portion for engaging the end of said shaft in abutting relationship whereby said seat may be placed in engagement with the side of said snap ring fac-- ing away from the end of said shaft and be removed from said groove upon the threading of said snap ring engaging member into said tapped portion of said body member.

4. A tool as set forth in claim 2 including a face on the end of said body member located in opposition to said seat for removing said collar from said snap ring by abutting the face of said collar facing toward said end of said shaft.

5. A tool for pressing a collar onto a snap ring mounted in a groove on a shaft comprising a body member having a tubular tapped portion and a cut-away portion adjacent thereto, a seat extending from said body portion remote from said tubular tapped portion and in substantial alignment therewith, said cutaway portion permitting said seat to be advanced radially onto a shaft for engaging the portion of a collar facing away from a snap ring, a snap ring engaging member including a tubular end portion of slightly larger diameter than said shaft for guiding said snap ring engaging member axially on said shaft, threads on said sna ring engaging portion for mating engagement with said tapped portion of said body member, first means at one end of said snap ring engaging member for engaging said snap ring, and second means on the other end of said snap ring engaging member for effecting the turning thereof to thereby cause said first means to engage the side of said snap ring remote from said collar While said seat engages the portion of said collar remote from said snap ring to thereby pull said collar into springlocked engagement on said snap ring.

6. A tool as set forth in claim 5 wherein said seat is of circular outline and slightly larger than said collar to ship with said shaft during said pulling of said collar onto said snap ring.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1962 Perrin 29229 8/ 1965 Garman 29-263 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

0 J. c. PETERS, Assistant Examiner. 

5. A TOOL FOR PRESSING A COLLAR ONTO A SNAP RING MOUNTED IN A GROOVE ON A SHAFT COMPRISING A BODY MEMBER HAVING A TUBULAR TAPPED PORTION AND A CUT-AWAY PORTION ADJACENT THERETO, A SEAT EXTENDING FROM SAID BODY PORTION REMOTE FROM SAID TUBULAR TAPPED PORTION AND IN SUBSTANTIAL ALIGNMENT THEREWITH, SAID CUTAWAY PORTION PERMITTING SAID SEAT TO BE ADVANCED RADIALLY ONTO A SHAFT FOR ENGAGING THE PORTION OF A COLLAR FACING AWAY FROM A SNAP RING, A SNAP RING ENGAGING MEMBER INCLUDING A TUBULAR END PORTION OF SLIGHTLY LARGER DIAMETER THAN SAID SHAFT FOR GUIDING SAID SNAP RING ENGAGING MEMBER AXIALLY ON SAID SHAFT, THREADS ON SAID SNAP RING ENGAGING PORTION FOR MATING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID TAPPED PORTION OF SAID BODY MEMBER, FIRST MEANS AT ONE END OF SAID SNAP RING ENGAGING MEMBER FOR ENGAGING SAID SNAP RING, AND SECOND MEANS ON THE OTHER END OF SAID SNAP RING ENGAGING MEMBER FOR EFFECTING THE TURNING THEREOF TO THEREBY CAUSE SAID FIRST MEANS TO ENGAGE THE SIDE OF SAID SNAP RING REMOTE FROM SAID COLLAR WHILE SAID SEAT ENGAGES THE PORTION OF SAID COLLAR REMOTE FROM SAID SNAP RING TO THEREBY PULL SAID COLLAR INTO SPRINGLOCKED ENGAGEMENT ON SAID SNAP RING. 